


Bruises & Worship

by Meteorfallen



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: All other relationships can be implied as you like tho, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Body Worship, Free range shipping, Honestly this is SephirothxCloud, M/M, Multi, Painplay, Possessive Sephiroth, Pre-Nibelheim Incident, Puppet! Cloud, Sephiroth just likes the idea of Cloud being his okay, Shameless Smut, because lets be real its going to be super disappointing, kind of he consents a lot, wrote this instead of watching the GOT finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 10:29:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18892807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meteorfallen/pseuds/Meteorfallen
Summary: Cloud's had another run-in with some decidedly unfriendly cadets. He's used to it though, it's not a big deal. At least it's Sephiroth who finds out - he knows the silver-haired man will keep his secret.Though, if Sephiroth's planning to keep playing with his bruised self like this, Cloud's going to have to start defending himself better if he doesn't want to end up a mindless puppet on the floor from now on.





	Bruises & Worship

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, I really wanted to write some Sephiroth x Cloud and I happily accomplished that but some simple squinting can make this an OT3 or OT5 situation you can interpret however ya'll like!
> 
> Also the song So Close by NOTD Felix Jaehn was the inspiration for this fic and honestly for many other drabbles I've been playing around with and picking up again. Highly rec a listen when you read this! <3

 

Unsightly.

That’s what Sephiroth thought of when he saw the blossoming bruise Cloud had failed to hide from him moments ago when he’d showed up with a handful of documents Sephiroth had ‘forgotten’ in his office.

Now that he had Cloud perched on his couch, scowling quietly at being caught, his jade eyes couldn’t stop scanning over his skin.

The bruises were sharp and stark on skin as fair as his, and as fresh as yesterday by the blossoming yellow around their rugged blue-hues. They were bold and ugly and dotted up his arms in inconsistent spatters. He had no doubt in his mind more bruises lurked beneath the cadet’s uniform as well - they probably struck out against his pale legs and centered on his stomach and ribs. He was fairly certain of the latter, as each odd hitch to Cloud’s breath confirmed he at least taken some damage to his chest or sides.

But, somewhere between his feelings of admiration and downright frustration, those bright blue eyes didn’t so much as flinch as he skimmed his thumb over the surface of his wounds with fingers that were sometimes intentionally rough - intentionally probing to sense the extent of damage from each wayward wound because Cloud sure as hell wasn’t going to tell him how much it hurt willingly.

In fact bright blue eyes stared at him unflinchingly, almost challengingly.

“You’ve gotten hurt again. Seeing as you haven’t had an active mission recently, and there’s been no case file on my desk mentioning you… I assume its safe to say you’ve had another disagreement with your fellow cadets, off the record?”

It came out admonishingly, almost accusatory. He’d had his suspiciousness when Cloud refused to stop by his apartment two nights in a row now - a knowing feeling that had settled in the pit of his stomach - and was displeased to see his ominous feeling had proven true.

Cloud didn’t so much as blink. Instead, he gave a self-deprecating smile and shrugged slightly, in a nonchalant manner.

“I’m fine, Sir… I’ve had much worse.”

He said these words as if they were assurances. And oddly, almost weakly, Sephiroth recalled having this very conversation years ago when he’d been closer to Cloud’s age back in Wutai. He could recall Angeal’s worried brows fixed into sternness as he made Sephiroth sit down and took a look at his injured leg. Angeal had exchanged a _look_ with Genesis back then, a look he had thought was a very odd expression at the time before healing him. He could still recall that expression now, and wondered if he was making a similar expression at Cloud right now.  

“...sir?”

Cloud voice, weaker than before, brought him back to the present and he saw those eyes, moments earlier fixed in concentration, now eyeing him unsurely. Ah, the pause must have stretched. Getting lost in memories was unlike him, but somehow, Cloud had a habit of reminding him of things long passed seemingly without realizing it.

“You know better to call me sir when we’re alone, Cloud… Besides, it matters little if you’ve endured worse. _At the moment_ what matters is that you’re hurting now.”

Cloud flinched slightly, though not at his slip of rank - but instead at those familiar words Sephiroth was now quoting back to him. Still, he resolved to keep his poker face on as always.

“It doesn’t even hurt though.”

He squeezed a dime-sized bruise on Cloud’s forearm and the blonde barely jerked, gritting his teeth.

“It doesn’t, hm?”

Somewhere, he could imagine Angeal shaking his head and Genesis laughing - those two who had once sat in his very shoes. Sephiroth wondered just how similar he and Cloud really were - the way this cadet mimicked him unintentionally…

Cloud flushed lightly, then gave him a dark look.

It shouldn’t look as charming as it was, it really shouldn’t.

“You’re a bully.”

The petulant way he said it made him seem younger - and gods, he was already fairly young still now wasn’t he? - and Cloud seemed to still and blink, as if his own reply had been unexpected. This was at least something different about them - Cloud could still act his age in a way Sephiroth never could.

“Perhaps. But you’re still hurt.”

Cloud, seemingly unsure of what to say now, pulled his arms free and looked away. He seemed intent on staring at the floor with a petulant little frown.

“Cloud.”

Even lifting the blonde’s chin, the young warrior refused to meet his gaze.

In the end, Sephiroth was the General. He hadn’t taken that position with brute strength alone. No, he had his combat strategy and his speed - which he now played his hand on their proverbial poker table.

“Either you let me heal you, or I call Zack. He’s currently shopping in The Wall Market on free time, but I’m certain he’ll hurry back at news of your recent… activities.”

Smoldering eyes met his, and boy, Cloud didn’t know how good he looked when he got passionate about something. It changed his whole appearance - no, his whole demeanor.

He moved forward, clasping Sephiroth’s arms, something fragile in his voice as he pleaded:

“Don’t tell Zack, _please._ ”

A royal flush.

Those eyes that begged him were almost too much. Sephiroth met his gaze, lifting a brow in a silent question of his own.

“Then you’ll let me see?”

_You’ll let me help you?_

Cloud came dangerously close to pouting, eyes half-lidded as he bit his bottom lip.

 _He’s cute, isn’t he Sephiroth? Just look at those eyes of his - doesn’t even know what he can express in just a look._ The Zack in the back of his mind cooed at the look Cloud was giving him.

Sephiroth had to agree with his mental Zack, and also thank the ravenette once more for always being the young warrior’s Achilles. Cloud always caved when it came to Zack’s perception of him, and the boy did not want his mentor to know how often he actually got into physical altercations with other cadets lately as the SOLDIER exam approached.

Sephiroth thought this approach of his was particularly underhanded of him, but, well, he was the General for a reason.

Finally, in a defeated manner, Cloud clung to his knees and sighed tersely. Sephiroth wasn’t about to accept some half-hearted defeat though, and he lifted Cloud’s chin back up so those mesmerizing eyes would look at him, and _only_ him.

“You’ll be a good boy then, and let me take care of you?”

Cloud hated giving an inch on anything about himself - he fought tooth-and-nail for every little respect and dignity. Genesis once joked Cloud’s pride was bigger than his lithe little body, which Cloud had overheard and waspishly replied: ‘ _Well, some of us aren’t 6’3 and have the body of heavy-weight champions at our disposal_.’ Angeal had hidden behind his newspaper at that, but not before giving himself away with a snort at the not-so-subtle dig at himself. Genesis had simply crowed in delight in that way of his, always fascinated with cute and catty things.

Cloud stared him down, expression firm and only slightly wavering - just like that time.

But a little more pressure on his chin and a false reach for his phone had Cloud folding immediately.  

“ _Yes_.”

He knew all of Cloud’s tells - his younger was open to him in ways others never had been.

“Good boy.”

Really, Cloud could look so submissive at first glance sometimes - but he had a SOLDIER backbone. It made it all the more delightful and satisfying when he was finally forced to take a proverbial knee - even in what should have been a simple matter like this.

Though…

He let his jade eyes trail over the blonde’s body. It was developing nicely now that Cloud had managed to put on a little weight and had turned that into muscle. It was more durable now, and would continue to improve without fail…

But those marks that peaked out throughout his skin - those tell-tale little signs of abuse…

...if he continued to let this go unchecked it could happen again and again. And if he let Cloud’s silence on the matter drop once again, let such an unsightly habit of silence form - who could say Cloud wouldn’t get hurt seriously in the future and say nothing?

Who was Sephiroth, to allow such a thing to happen before his eyes?

He moved away from the couch, much to Cloud’s confusion.

“I need to see the extent of your damage. Strip from your uniform jacket, and your trousers. I’ll be back.”

He could feel Cloud’s stare on his back as he slipped out from the living room and into the bedroom. He kept his materia out in a display case on his banister - ones he had mastered and often didn’t bring with him. He grabbed one now, rolling the stone between his hands as he thought his slow-forming plan over. His small smirk gave away the mischievous thoughts forming in his mind.

He cleared it away before he walked back into the room, finding Cloud had silently obeyed him. His younger had stripped down to his undershirt and boxers, expression miffed as he sat on the couch sourly.

His gaze lifted as Sephiroth came closer, and he eyed the materia in his hand with something faintly like displeasure.

Oh, that simply wouldn’t do. He needed to snip this bad habit away as soon as possible.

He reached down and trailed his fingers along Cloud’s cheek, the blond subconsciously leaning into his feather-like touch. A promising sign.

“Now, tell me honestly… How fares your body, Cloud? Does it hurt to breathe, does one side pain you more than the other?”

Cloud eyed him, still a hesitant press of his lips - _a resistant_ press - but with Sephiroth’s fingers slipping the hair behind his ear he caved.  
“...no. My ribs hurt a little more on my left side, but like I tried to tell you… There isn’t anything serious.”

Sephiroth could maybe agree a bruise here and there weren’t that worrisome themselves - but Sephiroth’s jade irises examined each and every mark along his body with a knowing look. He was sure even more wounds hid under Cloud’s shirt - bruises from fists and boots from jealous ire.

He both wanted to see them and didn’t; Zack’s anger at them would no doubt be boiling - he’d let the ravenette be angered for both of him. There was a time and place for everything, and right now wasn’t time for anger. That would surely come afterward.

Instead, he’d handle Cloud for now.

“You aren’t lying to me, are you? There isn’t even one place that hurts significantly worse than the others.”

It didn’t come out like a question and Cloud paused, considering; or perhaps simply distracted as Sephiroth’s hand trailed down to his throat - before shaking his head.

“My side hurts the worst… but it really isn’t that bad. Honest.”

“Good. Then let’s have your honesty rewarded, or punished.”

Cloud eyed him unsurely before those beautiful blue eyes widened in alarm as he squeezed his hand around his throat. Not enough to harm, nor hurt - but enough to warn him.

He grabbed Cloud by his shirt and in an unbothered motion flung Cloud to the ground. The blonde tumbled to the carpet with a gasp, looking up at him with wide, brilliant eyes.

Sephiroth eyed him with something of a coy smile, as if he hadn’t just flung him off the couch.

Anger bubbled under the blonde’s surprise, but he hadn’t yet settled into it. Mostly, he was incredulous.

“Wh-what the hell was that for!?”

Sephiroth knelt down between his legs, bringing his hand up to tug the glove off his left hand with his teeth. He pressed it against Cloud’s throat once more, finding it fit perfectly there. He let the glove drop down between their bodies.  

Now there was anger.

The blonde tried to bat his hand away, but Sephiroth forced him down on his back, his platinum hair trailing around the indignant blonde.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“It doesn’t hurt right?”

Cloud stared at him, completely baffled.

He trailed his still gloved hand up one of Cloud’s arms, the blonde watching him unsurely before he pressed down on a bruise. Those blue eyes tightened and the blonde grit his teeth.

“Call out for Zack if it hurts too much. Zack would make you feel better right away, wouldn’t he?”

Understanding didn’t immediately come to the blonde. He chuckled lowly, before lifting the materia from before.

“This’ll make you feel better, won’t it? Well, I won’t force you to take if you truly don’t want it… But I’m not going to stop touching you just because you’re being stubborn. If you don’t want it, fine. But if you do want it? If it hurts too badly to be good anymore…” He let the materia drop, and it rolled beside the blonde’s hair. “Then call loudly for Zack, with a truly earnest voice… and I’ll make your bruises go away. But until then,” he tightened his grip on Cloud’s throat, the blonde giving a small jerk and startled little gasp as he pressed his hand between the cadet’s legs, “only call my name with a loud voice. Call only _my name_ between your strangled cries of pleasure.”

This was a little game he had played with Zack before; the raven-haired man had complained the whole time, and had called him many unsavory things because unlike Cloud he hadn’t given him such an easy safeword, but perhaps this was even better - Cloud would definitely play his cruel little game.

After all, the little spitfire of blonde loved to be touched despite his words - pain nor pleasure made no huge difference - as long as it was from a person he desperately yearned for.

Cloud quaked under his touch, hands desperately clinging to his arm, but after a moment’s hesitation he let his hands drop and Sephiroth loosened his grip.

“Good boy, Cloud. You understand, don’t you? What I have in mind.”

“You’re a sadist.”

No complaints, then.

Cloud watched him with unclouded wariness now as he took his hand away from his throat and moved it under his shirt. He wanted to look - to see the bruises there himself - but no, if he wanted to keep this pleasurable he needed to not see them. He would discover them himself.

He pressed along his ribs first along the right side, testing, probing. Cloud shifted beneath him, quickly hardening against his hand even as he flung an arm over his eyes.

“Just what are you trying to do to me now…?”

Another press, then another - and there! - Cloud bucked with a soft keen. He pressed there firmly, and Cloud tried to shift away but he held him down, stroking him through his boxers as the blonde bit down on his bottom lip.

Oh, this wouldn’t do - he reached out and pulled Cloud’s arm away, digging his thumb into a bruise on Cloud’s arm as he did so. His pinched expression was delicious - Sephiroth couldn’t resist.

He dove in, kissing him even as he pinched him there - probed him there - pressed too tightly at places that made Cloud kick and buck in his hands.

Cloud resisted against his own voice, gods did he resist, but a firm and unkind touch to his left side had Cloud crying delicious noises into his mouth in no time. They were sharp and stretched, whimpering little cries, wordless in nature but not desire. Sephiroth drank and tasted each noise greedily, took everything Cloud gave him.

When he pulled back, Cloud was left gasping under him, a squirming little mess with angry eyes and swollen lips.

Really, he should have been expecting the returned pinch along the back of his hand. He couldn’t help but chuckle at Cloud’s petty revenge.

“What’s the matter, it doesn’t hurt, does it Cloud?”

Cloud tried to squirm out from under him at his teasing, but oh, he wouldn’t get away that easily. He went for Cloud’s mouth again, holding him steady with an unyielding grip along his throat before chuckling into the kiss as Cloud strained against his touch. It was uncertain if the motion was to get his hand away because this was too much, or if he wanted that gloved hand on his flesh instead.

But not yet, no, not yet.

“Tsk, tsk, Cloud. You haven’t learned your lesson yet.”

“Just what lesson are you trying to teach me h-here?”

“Hmm, I wonder.”

Cloud’s eyes widened in outrage but he couldn’t speak as Sephiroth lightly bit his tongue, making him squeak. His hands grabbed at Sephiroth’s hair - grabbed at his chest - grabbed at his hands in turn - but nothing deterred the silvernette from his cruel explorations.

“I haven’t heard enough from you yet. Give me even more, Cloud.”

“Wh-what do you want from me!?”

He stopped rubbing Cloud for a moment to grab his hips and flip him over onto his stomach. Cloud gasped, giving himself away, and Sephiroth rudely pressed into those spots too - making Cloud yowel despite himself.

He moved to bite at the back of Cloud’s neck, the blonde trembling on his arms and knees as he let his hand return to stroking him - this time, pulling down his boxers and letting him feel the leather of his glove.

He made the sweetest noise at the friction - even as he bucked at the fingers that dug into his bruised arm.

“S-Sephiroth, there’s n-no way… I _can’t_ …”

He sucked at the skin there, trailing kisses and small love bites in his wake before attacking the side of his throat. Cloud’s keen was louder now, so much more insistent that he didn't even seem to feel the next cruel touch along his hip. He brought his hand lower then, down between his thighs to grip there with the threat of his nails as he kept stroking him.

Cloud dug at the carpet with his fingers, moaning so lowly Sephiroth could feel it reverberating against his mouth.

Closer then, but still not what he was seeking. Nor was it yet the appointed time.

He moved his hand back up, pressing most painfully against Cloud’s weak side that he actually collapsed as much as he could from it, dizzy with pain before Sephiroth’s hand crept up over his face - covering his eyes and jerking him firmly back against his body. Pain coursed out from his side, but Cloud could barely tell it hurt from the pleasure so rapidly building in his stomach as Sephiroth’s gloved hand sped-up.

Breath hitched and cries reaching a fever-pitch, Sephiroth kept him close as he bit and sucked on his shoulder-blade. Cloud wasn’t going to last - his pleas and desperation were clear as he begged Sephiroth as prettily as he could - for what, he was too far gone to tell.

Cloud tore at the carpet - his thighs and legs trembled so hard - and he cried Sephiroth’s name like both a condemning curse and a saving plea with unsteady cries.

Sephiroth finally gave him a shred of mercy, and gave him the friction he so desperately desired.

Cloud’s cries cut off completely as he came, Sephiroth’s hand still covering his eyes as his chest hit the carpet. His knees were so weak and he thought he was going to black out as his senses deafened - but Sephiroth kept him up, kept stroking him through his orgasm even as the pleasure threatened to make him pass out - even as the rolling pleasure turned to increasing pain and his silence turned to a different kind of plea.

The pleasure - the pain - it was too much whatever it was - Cloud thought he’d be forever trapped inside of it - it consumed him inside and out -

It was too much - far too much - he couldn’t take it anymore - couldn’t think - could barely speak - his voice weak and broken and hoarse even though he hadn’t been screaming before - but now - _but now---_

“ _Z-ack_ , Zack, _Zack_ … _!_ ”

Cloud thought Sephiroth might not stop - might torture him to death or _even worse_ never stop - but he gave one final firm stroke on Cloud’s last earnest cry and released him - and Cloud collapsed into spasms on the carpet, gasping and shuddering.

Sephiroth slowly sank back on his legs, eyeing his gloved hand with quiet bemusement before reaching out and taking the materia he had previously discarded with his free hand.

Cloud might have called his safeword earnestly as he had demanded, but that didn’t mean it was all over just yet. No, now came the delicious cherry on top.

He reached out and cast Cure, spreading the spell out so it spread all throughout Cloud’s body in one go. The blonde gave a wretched little gasp, jerking hard with a breathless moan, before burying his face into his trembling arms.

He moved to kiss the shell of Cloud’s ear.

“That aftermath of euphoria traveling along every inch of your body… It's overwhelming when you’re so oversensitive like this, isn’t it…?”

Cloud didn’t respond, just shook. Or more honestly, _couldn’t_ respond yet.

With a gentle touch, he turned him over and limply, the blonde didn’t resist at all. His face was pleasantly flush, and his eyes glassy and distant. He was completely gone.

Sephiroth gently thumbed the blonde’s lip as he maneuvered his unresponsive body until Cloud lay limply against his chest. So pretty, just like a doll. He titled Cloud’s chin up, pressing a long kiss along his pretty puppet’s jaw as he let his jade eyes roam across his lover’s flushed body.

“Despair sounds so pretty coming from your angelic lips… but total, complete, _mindless_ bliss suits you just as well, I think.”

He covered Cloud’s eyes once more once they fell shut, and whispered, “I told you once before I won’t fight your battles for you as you wished… I’ll continue to keep your secrets, and will continue to do so for as long as you desire… As long as, from now on, you aren’t allowed to hide your injuries from me, not when you have so many. With me, you won’t hide anything.”

Cloud gave a breathless reply, still too dazed to really come back yet, and Sephiroth stroked a tender thumb along his chin.

“Bruised, battered, broken - it matters not. You’ll always be _mine_.”

Cloud gripped the front of his shirt with a desperate grip.

“Y-yours…”

For someone like Cloud, who never failed to him his everything - claiming him was only right. 

"Say my name, Cloud."

Cloud repeated it quietly, once more, before slumping entirely against him. Sephiroth gave him one more tender kiss before removing his hand from his eyes, unsurprised to find exhaustion had claimed the smaller man. He laid peacefully, almost doll-like against him, and Sephiroth felt that rare but familiar swell in his chest. 

He gently picked up the warrior, admiring his now unflawed skin. Cloud was different - of that was certain. There were only a few people in Sephiroth’s life he deemed worthwhile, and even fewer he felt he truly had the capacity to feel something for - but Cloud…

Never before had he held someone in his arms he thought looked so beautifully broken. Maybe that was one of the reasons he kept Cloud’s silence and let the blonde handle himself - that determination - that willingness to take on injuries and despair and the struggle - to watch Cloud work to make himself whole again…

Then and there, he made a promise to himself.

Rather broken or whole - he would take Cloud as he was. He would take Cloud for what he gave him - so willingly at that.

Cloud could fight his own battles, but Sephiroth knew from now on Cloud would return to Sephiroth's side for him to pick up whatever pieces remained, when and if the blonde broke, of that much, he would make certain.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this fic, because I seriously couldn't get it out of my head today, and I hope you enjoyed it!! <3
> 
> This was my first fic in some time so I'd love some feedback on it ^w^


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